International Conference "P. P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky and Modern Geography"
Pyotr Petrovich Semenov-Tian-Shansky (1827–1914)
The name of Pyotr Petrovich Semenov-Tian-Shansky requires no introduction - yet it still deserves one. On the eve of the bicentenary of his birth, it is appropriate not so much to list his achievements as to reflect on their unity.
The Tian Shan expedition of 1856–1857: Semenov was the first European scientist to penetrate the central part of this mountain system, previously known only from scarce and contradictory reports. He refuted Humboldt’s hypothesis of the volcanic origin of the Tian Shan, provided the first scientific description of its altitudinal zonation, discovered major glaciers at the sources of the Naryn and Syr Darya rivers, and collected extensive botanical and zoological materials. In 1906, by Imperial decree, the honorary suffix “Tian-Shansky” was added to his surname - half a century after the expedition, which in itself speaks to the enduring significance of a true scientific discovery.
A key aspect of Semenov-Tian-Shansky’s legacy is the holistic image of a researcher who understood geography as an inherently synthetic science.
However, the true significance of Semenov for Russian geography is not limited to his field achievements. For nearly forty years - from 1873 to 1914 - he headed the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, guiding its work during a period when the exploration of Central and Inner Asia, Siberia, and the Far East became one of the key priorities of Russian science. Under his chairmanship, the Society organized expeditions led by Przhevalsky, Potanin, Roborovsky, and Kozlov; a fully developed infrastructure of Russian field geography was established. Semenov did not merely administer the Society - he defined its scientific priorities and mentored generations of researchers, while remaining actively engaged in scientific life himself.
In parallel, another equally significant line of work unfolded. The Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of the Russian Empire, a monumental five-volume work, and the multi-volume Picturesque Russia, as well as the organization of the first general population census of 1897, all represent manifestations of a single geographical vision: to systematically describe the country as a space inhabited by people with their economy, history, and everyday life. In this, Semenov stood in the tradition of Lomonosov’s “Academic Expeditions.”
Pyotr Petrovich’s personality also fascinated his contemporaries, as his scientific rigor never turned into narrow specialization. He was an expert in 17th-century Dutch painting and donated to the Hermitage a collection of more than seven hundred paintings; his entomological collection, bequeathed to the Zoological Museum, exceeded seven hundred thousand specimens.
The Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences invites you to participate in the International Scientific Conference dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Russian geographer, statistician, and public figure Pyotr Petrovich Semenov-Tian-Shansky.
The conference will be held from 26 to 29 April 2027 at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The aim of the conference is to discuss the scientific legacy of P.P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky and his contribution to the development of geographical science, as well as to present current research in the field of physical and socio-economic geography.
The conference will bring together scientists who continue the legacy of P. P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky — his descendants, researchers of his biography and scientific works, as well as Russian and international scientists working in various branches of geographical science.
Session topics:
· History of Geographical Science and the Role of P.P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky and His Descendants in Its Development
· Classical and Modern Methods of Geographical Research
· Integrated Regional Studies and Cartography
· Urban and Rural Areas in Contemporary Russia and Neighboring Countries
· Fundamental and Applied Problems of Geographical Regionalization
To participate in the conference, each participant must submit an application to the Organizing Committee by 15 September 2026 using the registration form, which will be available from 1 June 2026. The application must also include an abstract (300–400 words) in Russian or English. Please note that the Organizing Committee will consider only those presentations whose content is related to the scientific legacy of P.P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky.
Following the Conference, a special issue of the journal “Izvestiya of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Geographical Series” is planned.
There is no registration fee for participating in the conference.
The conference will take place at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Staromonetny Lane 29, building 4.
CONFERENCE KEY DATES
1 August 2026 – abstract submission opens
15 September 2026 – abstract submission closes
2 November 2026 – acceptance decisions announced
1 December 2026 – preliminary conference programme published
12 April 2027 – final conference programme published
26 April 2027 – first day of the conference (plenary sessions)
27 April 2027 – second day of the conference (plenary and sectional sessions)
28 April 2027 – third day of the conference (plenary and sectional sessions)
29 April 2027 – professionally oriented excursions
